I got caught in a 50kt squall this Wednesday, while on final approach to the finish line during our beer can race. This was reported from 2 boats with wind instruments.
Previously, the most wind I'd ever sailed in was 32kts.
This was different. I was in a very narrow channel, surrounded by other racers. It looked like a giant had thrown a bowling ball in our midst. Everyone was laid over, several showing their keels.
I was singlehanding, and only had a Tiller Clutch to hold the helm while I went forward to drop the jib. I put the engine on, and at WOT the GPS indicated between 0.0 and 0.2 kts against the squall.
That actually wasn't the scariest part. The lightning was worse. I grew up in Florida, the US Lightning Capital, and I've never seen lightning this bad. The northern edge of this storm cell was passing by, so I ran futher north, to my slip and stayed barely out of reach as the cell passed to the WNW.
I was surfing home at hull speed, under main alone.
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